The Aurora Regional Fire Museum in Aurora is a must-visit for history enthusiasts. The fire museum is located in Aurora’s Old Central Fire Station, built-in in 1894. It was designed by a local architect, keeping in mind the typical Victorian-era style. The building, over time, evolved and changed as the times do. It was not until 1966 that Chief Erwin J Bauman authorised the establishment of a fire museum to collect and preserve Aurora’s firefighting history. Despite a series of disputes and temporarily closing for a few years, the Museum has been renovated and has been open to the public since 2004. This restored old Central Fire Station serves as a unique historical landmark and destination for regional and international visitors.

If you’re looking for an excellent opportunity to explore and learn about firefighting history in Aurora, the Regional Fire Museum features several permanent and temporary exhibitions. In the permanent collection, visitors can trace the role of tools and technology used by firefighters throughout history. They can immerse themselves in what it was like back in the day by ringing the alarm rattle from the 1700s. They can watch newsreels and film clips of how firefighters reach the scene and fire out on the available kiosks. The museum also has a specifically curated interactive space for younger visitors called the Children’s Discovery Room presented by First Alert. It provides children with hands-on experience, from dressing like a firefighter to practising fire safety.

The museum can help organise individual and group tours. It also offers a variety of educational experiences. If you’re looking to fulfil specific requirements for scouting badges, the museum has several programs and can tailor programmes to meet the needs of particular scout groups. Some of the programmes offered include the Tiger Elective Adventure: Safe and Smart, Webelos Adventure: First Responder, and the Wolf Elective Adventures: Hometown Heroes.

Aurora Regional Fire Museum is a non-profit organisation. There are several ways to contribute to this historical landmark.  Visitors can also support specific projects that the museum is currently working on, such as the Aurora Firefighter Memorial or the restoration of the 1942 American Lafrance Fire Engine.

Aurora Public Library
McNally’s Heating & Cooling of Aurora, IL